Drafting roll and apron clearing arrangement



March 3, 1 6 R. B. NEWTON ETAL 3,122,793

DRAFTING ROLL AND APRON CLEARING ARRANGEMENT Filed April 12, 1961 INVENTORS RUSSELL B. NEWTON ALTER A-SMITH QMEY United States Patent 3,122,793 DRAFTING RQLL AND APRON CLEARING ARRANGEMENT Russell E. Newton, Spartanburg, and Walter A. Smith,

Iuman, S.C., amigners to Deering Miiliken Research Corporation, Spartanburg, S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 12, 1961, Ser- No. 102,557 12 Claims. (Ci. 19-245) This invention relates to textile fiber handling appara tus, and more particularly to an improvement in the art of drafting textile fibers through the medium of an apron or aprons, being specifically directed to the reduction or elimination of lint and the like in the area within an apron or aprons of such drafting systems.

It has now become traditional practice in most textile fiber drafting systems to employ one or more aprons for guiding and controlling the textile fibers, particularly in the zone between the middle and front rolls of the drafting arrangement. Examples of this type of system are the Casablancas, Roth and Duo-Roth drafting systems. In each of these systems one or more aprons is employed to maintain fiber control in the zone between the middle and front rolls. In the Roth and Duo-Roth systems, there is disposed about the middle bottom roll and a nose bar associated therewith an apron which extends for a substantial distance below this roll and which encompasses a flanged further roll loosely supported by both the apron and pivoted hangers. A large opening is thus formed between the middle bottom drafting roll and this flanged lower roll, and this permits lint and other foreign matter present in the vicinity thereof to fall or move into this zone within the apron and to become attached to the inner surface of the apron and/or the periphery of the rolls and nose bar therewithin. It is a major feature of this invention to provide an improved clearer element which aids in the reduction or elimination of lint or the like in the zone within the drafting aprons, and particularly this bottom apron of the Roth and Duo- Roth systems. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the clearing element serves not only to aid in removing any lint or the like from within the apron and the periphery of the rolls therewithin, but also tends to reduce the possibility of lint or the like entering this zone.

A further feature of the invention lies in the aiding in the tensioning of the apron, particularly in the Roth and Duo-Roth apron drafting systems. This improved tensioning of the apron tends to aid the control of the fibers being contacted by the fiber-engaging run of the apron, as the apron is thus maintained more nearly to the desired configuration along the fiber-engaging run when held under more nearly uniform tension.

Still other features and attendant advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of one preferred embodiment constructed according to the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the invention as applied to a Duo-Roth drafting arrangement.

FIGURE 2 is a section view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the clearer element according to the invention as employed in the arrangement of FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the elastic compressibility of the ciearer element, and the manner of compressing the clearer element for insertion into or removal from the apron drafting arrangement of FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring now to the figures of the drawing, the invention is illustrated as applied to a Duo-Roth drafting arrangement having fiber-engaging aprons 23, 25 about the two middle rolls 15, 17. As in conventional construction, this drafting arrangement includes three sets of rolls including back rolls 11, 13, middle rolls 15, 17 and front rolls 19, 21. The back and front sets of rolls may each include a bottom fluted roll 13, 21 and a top rubber or composition covered roll 11, 19, while the middle set of rolls normally includes a bottom fluted roll 17 and a knurled top roll 15, although other roll surface configurations may be and are conventionally employed. Each of the middle rolls 15, 17 has associated therewith what is commonly known as a nose bar 27, 29 and over which a continuous apron passes. Each of these nose bars 27, 25 in conjunction with its respective associated middle roll thus guides the respective apron to form a fiber-engaging run 23a, 25a which serves to afford control of the fibers to a point closely adjacent the nip of the front rolls 19, 21. As is further conventional, each succeeding set of rolls is driven at a faster peripheral rate than the previous set of rolls to thereby afford successive incremental drafting of the fiber mass, which is thereafter twisted and taken up as yarn or other funicular textile product onto a suitable takeup device, such as a ring and traveler take-up (not shown).

In the Roth and Duo-Roth drafting systems the bottom apron also passes about a second loosely mounted tensor roll 31, which is conventionally flanged at both ends thereof as indicated at 31a, and which is supported by both the apron 25 and a pair of hangers 33 which are suitably pivoted on a pivot support shaft 35 carried by the frame the flanged roll 31 thus forming an apron-guidingand-tensioning roll. The weight of the flanged roll 31 together with the forces exerted thereon by the weight of the hangers 33 is conventionally relied upon to maintain tension on the lower apron 25, in order to afford the desired traction between the middle bottom drive roll 17 and the apron 25 and a slight tautness on the apron 25 in the zone between the roll 17 and the front of the nose bar 29.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the zone between the middle bottom roll 17 and the lower flanged roll 31 associated therewith is normally quite open to the atmosphere and permits the deposit of a substantial quantity of lint and the like within the interior of the apron 25 and onto the bottom flanged roll 31, which lint also may be and is frequently carried to and become lodged onto the surface of the fluted middle drive roll 17, as well as a nose bar 29. According to the present invention there is provided an apron-and-roll-engaging clearer element 41 which in the preferred embodiment thereof is in the form of an elastic non-rotatably mounted foam block having a concave roll-engaging surface 41a, 41b at each end and at least one, and preferably two opposite, apron-run-engaging surfaces 41c, 41d extending between the two opposite concave ends 41a, 41b. The length of the clearer element 41 between the two opposite concave ends 41a, 4112 may correspond to the distance between the corresponding facing peripheral surfaces of the drive roll 17 and the flanged roll 31, but is preferably slightly in excess of this distance in order to provide a tension on the apron through the elastic tendency of the clearer ele- V ment 41 to return to its extended length.

The clearer element 41 may be formed of any suitable elastic material, or in such a manner as to permit elastic compression and recovery thereof longitudinally thereof, and is preferably formed of soft elastic foam material, such as polyurethane foam, latex foam, sponge rubber, 'etc.

The clearer element 41 preferably has a nose-bar-engaging surface d-li in order to aid in positioning of the element Within the apron 25, although this is not absolutely essential, as the apron Z5 is traveling downwardly on the run 25b thereof leaving the nose bar 29. This may be effected by formation of a flat, or a contour con forming surface, on the clearer element at the upper end thereof adjacent the nose bar 29. 7

In order to prevent the soft foam materialforming the v I preferred clearer element from becoming entrapped 'be tween the apron and one or both of the rolls 17, 31 the clearer element 41 is formed with blunted transversely extending edge surfaces 41 and 413 at the converging entrance to the nip formed between the apron 25 and both the bottom middle drive roll 17 and the flanged lower roll 31. This blunting of these edge surfaces is most important, particularly in such instances where the clearer element is formed of soft elastic material such as elastic foam, otherwise there is a substantial tendency for the rolls '17 and 31 and the apron 25 to entrap the clearer element 41 and carry such around between the roll and the apron, which is obviously most undesirable. 111 the illustrated embodiment this blunting of these transversely extending edge surfaces 41 41g is effected by beveling of the edges, although the edges may be rounded or otherwise blunted as may be desired. Additionally, one may also blunt the other transverse edge dij of the clearer element 41 adjacentthe lower end of the upwardly traveling run 250 of the apron, if desired.

The clearer element 41 (shown separately in uncompressed form in FIGURE 3) may be easily inserted by compression thereof between the operators thumb T and finger F or fingers, as shown in FIGURE 4, and after insertion the elasticity of the clearer element 41 will cause such to return to or attempt to return to its original shape, thereby positioning the element within the zone between the opposite upward and downward runs 25b, 250 of the apron and rolls 17, 31 and nose bar '29,- as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Removal maybe easily effected by pushing on one side of the clearer element 41 and grasping the other side with the fingers to pull the element from within the apron and roll zone.

' In operation, the drafting arrangement functions in substantially the same manner generally as in conventional practice as with such an arrangement. However, this operation is aided by the clearing action which is afforded by engagement of the clearer element with the peripheral surfaces of the rolls 17 and 31 within the apron 25, as well as the inner surface of the apron 25. The action of the clearer element 41, which is thus to aid in reducing possible entry of foreign matter such as lint or the like within the apron interior, and also to aid in clearing any lint or the like which may find itself way into the zone within the apron. In effecting this .fun ction the clearer element contacts and scrapes both rolls 17 and 31, as well as the apron 25 interior.

Further, as pointed out above, in the preferred construction according to the invention the clearer element is under slight compression between the two rolls 17, 31 about which the lower apron 25' runs, and thereby tends to aid in maintaining a more nearly uniform tension on the lower apron 25. Even in instances where the clearer element is not oversized there is better position control of the lower flanged roll than in the conventional mere hanger 33 and apron 25 positioning of this roll, and consequently even in such instances the apron tension is more uniformly maintained, with consequent better traction between the fiuted drive roll 17 and the apron 25 and aiding in the maintaining of the desired configuration of the apron 25 along its fiber-engaging run.

While the invention has been described with reference to only one specific illustrative embodiment, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that the invention is capable of various modifications and improvements without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. a textile fiber drafting arrangement having a fiber 7 control apron and a pair of spaced apart rolls within the fiber control apron, the improvement comprising an elastic non-rotatably mounted apron-and-roll engaging clearer element disposed within said apron and resiliently engaging the periphery of each of said rolls and the inner surface of said apron. V I

2. The improvementaccording to claim -1 wherein said arrangement includes a nose bar disposed within said apron, said clearer element engaging with said nose bar.

3. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein one of said rolls is flanged, said clearer element being elastically compressible sufficiently to permit insertion within said apron past said flange and removal therefrom.

4. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said clearer element has at least one apron-run-enga'ging surface, said surface being blunt on its trailing edge to prevent entrapment'between said apron and the adjacent said roll. a

5. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said clearer element has two opposite apron-run-engaging surfaces, each of said surfaces being blunt on its respective I trailing edge.

6. For use in a textile drafting arrangement having an apron and two spaced rolls disposed within the apron, and an apron clearing device comprising an elastically compressible element having a pair of spaced apart oppositely extending roll-engageable concave end surfaces and at least one apron-engageable surface between said cdnc vssurfaces, said element being elastically compressible in a direction so as to permit said concave end surfaces to be resiliently pushed toward one another for insertion within said apron and betweensaid rolls.

7. An apron clearing device according to claim 6 including a blunt edge surface between said one apronengageable surface and one of said concave surfaces. 7

3. An apron clearing device according to claim 6 including two diagonally opposite blunt edges each formed respectively between one of said apron-engaging surfaces and one of said concave roll-engaging surfaces to prevent roll and apron entrapment of said element therebetween.

9. For use in a textile drafting arrangement having an apron, a roll disposed therewithin, an'da tensor element also disposed within said apron, a compressible element having a roll-engageable concave endsurface and aten'sor element engageable surface, said element beingelastically ing in riding engagement with and abou't each of said one roll and said tensor element, the improvement comprising a non-rotatable substantially elastically comp cssl apron-and-roll-and tensor-element engaging clearer member disposed within said apron and resiliently engaging the periphery of said one roll, said tensor element, and the inner surface of said apron.

11. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein said elastically compressible member is formed of elastic foam material.

12. In a textile fiber drafting arrangement having a plurality of pairs of top and bottom rolls, one of said bottom rolls having a fiber control apron supported thereon and extending therebelow, a nose bar spaced from said one bottom roll and between said one roll and adjacent another of said bottom rolls and a further tensor roll disposed below and spaced from said one roll and said nose bar, said apron being in riding engagement with and about each of said one bottom roll, said nose bar, and said further tensor roll, the improvement comprising a non-rotatable substantially elastically compressible apronand-roll-engaging clearer member disposed Within said apron and resiliently engaging the periphery of each of said one bottom roll, said nose bar, and said further tensor 10 roll, and the inner surface of said apron.

No references cited. 

1. IN A TEXTILE FIBER FRAFTING ARRANGEMENT HAVING A FIBER CONTROL APRON AND A PAIR OF SPACED APART ROLLS WITHIN THE FIBER CONTROLL APRON, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AN ELASTIC NON-ROTATABLY MOUNTED APRON-AND-ROLL ENGAGING CLEARER ELEMENT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID APRON AND RESILIENTLY ENGAGING THE PERIPHERY OF EACH OF SAID ROLLS AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID APRON. 